Forest dept undertakes steps to increase green cover

Kolkata: The state Forest department is taking measures to increase the green cover in the state that is rapidly depleting due to urbanisation.

"The loss of green cover is a world-wide concern and we have to address this issue along with reducing pollution and controlling carbon emissions. The present forest cover in our state is only 14 percent. We have to take it up to 30 percent and make the state a better place to live in," Mayor Firhad Hakim said at the inaugural programme of the 16th edition of Flower Fair, popularly known as Phool Mela at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

Stressing on planting trees as the only alternative to bring down carbon emissions, Hakim said 40 percent of state population is suffering from Asthma because of depleting oxygen content. Under the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Hakim has created a separate department of Urban Forestry at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

He had held several meetings with the Railways and Kolkata Port Trust that own a reasonable amount of land in the city and have a kept a proposal in front of them asking to allow the civic body to plant trees on vacant lands not used for any commercial purposes.

Different agencies from both Centre and state have been asked to take up plantation on their own or they can also urge the civic body to take up such initiatives on their behalf.

State Forest minister Binay Krishna Barman said his department has recently handed over 1,000 saplings each to all MLAs in the state urging them to plant them in their respective areas.

"We have planted 20,000 saplings and had distributed the same on last year's Vanmohatsav in July. We are also conducting awareness programmes to inform people that stale flowers can be recycled and put into good use including generating employment. Discarded Marigold flowers are being used in some parts of the state for manufacturing Abir during Doljatra and Holi," the minister said.

The Flower Fair at Eden Gardens that kicked off on Thursday will continue for three days.